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L. J. TAYLOR Oct. 20, 1 931.

STORAGE MEANS Filed March 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l I gwuento'a Lee J Taylor $1 Q7 a I Oct 28, 1931.

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Lee J Taglar Patented Get. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES LEE J. TAYLOR, or snonoinrsn, WASHINGTON STORAGE Application filed Mai-ch13, 1929. Serial No. 346,544.

My invention relates generally to furniture, and 1n its broad aspect may be embodied in various articles of furniture, or n various ways incorporated into various articles, as a 5 storage means. For convenience I have shown it in connect-ion with a sewing cabinet, though it should be understood that it is not necessarily incorporated into such a piece of furniture,but may be incorporated in various other pieces or articles, and wherever I may mention a sewing cabinet in this spec1- fication it is to be understood this is illustrative of such things as tool chests, kitchen cabinets or cupboards, showcases, store fiX- tures, the dashboards of automobiles, etc, into which my invention may be incorporated. It is a primary object of my invention to provide a storage compartment capable of installation in positions or places wherein ordinary storage means would be diflicult or awkward of access, in such manner that the user is afiorded free and easy access, and a full and clear vision of the stored articles,

' It is likewise an object of my invention to provide in a piece of furniture, whichis intended to contain bulky articles lying in the bottom, a tray for containing articles which would commonly be used in operations upon the bulky articles stored within the enclosure, which tray could be drawn forward into position where the articles are readily accessible, but which may be thrown back out of the way, moving through, and finally'occupying, a space which cannot be readily employed for the storage of the bulky articles, thus avoiding disturbance of the bulky articles.

Associated with a sewing cabinet, it is an object to provide such a device wherein the cloth or clothing to be sewed may be stored in the bottom of the cabinet loosely, and containing a tray for holding needles, thread, u ons, n h l k h h tray m y. b brought forward into the entrance of the cabinet for ready accessibility, and which may be also moved into a rear position within an upp e r or of th a ne hus upyg n o r is nus d p ce, wh e i o not affect the storage capacity of the sewing 50, cabinet, nor does it come in contact with or disturb the clothing or sewing in the bottom of the cabinet.

It is a further object to provide in such a storage compartment a mounting for the tray which will retain its upright position, to avoid spilling the contained articles, in all normal positions of the cabinet itself, in moving it from place to place, and of the tray in moving between its two limiting positions, and while such positions. i

It is a further object, in such a cabinet, to provide a construction wherein a front entrance may be readily opened up, and whereby there may be formed, by this action, a shelf or bench upon which to lay articles which are not being worked upon at any given time, yet in a position where they may readily be picked up.

Other objects, and particularly such as re late more especially to details of construction, may be ascertained from a study of the following specification, claims, and the drawings forming a part of the specification.

[y invention comprises the novel parts and the novel combination and arrangement 75 thereof, as shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification, and more particularly defined by the claims terminating the same.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention assembled in a sewing cabinet, and in a form and arrangement which is now preferred by me. t

Figure l is a transverse vertical section through such sewing cabinet, showing the cabinet open and the tray in its forward position.

Figure 2 is a front view of the same, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, showingthe tray in its rear position.

As has been indicated above, the precise typeorform of the article of furniture, or

other supporting or enclosing means into 5 which my invention is incorporated, is not in itself of large importance. The description of the same, therefore, as incorporated into a sewing cabinet will be understood as illustrative only. Such a sewing cabinet may comprise the end walls 10, the bottom 11, the rear wall 12, and a top which ordinarily is formed in several parts, as for example the horizontal central portion 13, and the rear sloping portion 14, which may be fixed as shown, or hinged. There is also, ordinarily a forward slopin portion 15 hinged as is indicated at 16, to t e forward edge of the horizontal front portion 13. A handle 17 may be provided in the form of a rib running longitudinally of the top 13, and in this instance shown as projecting below the top 13 to form a stop 2, the purpose of which will appear later.

The front ma be formed of a portion 18 hinged at 19 eit er to the bottom 11, or, as shown herein, to the top edge of a fixed front portion 18'. A chain 3, or like means, may be provided to support the hinged front portion 13 in horizontal position when dropped down, thus forming of it a shelf, and to hold it in raised position any one of a variety of catches may be employed, these being typified by the spring-pressed ball catch of common construction, indicated at 30.

The hinged top 15, and hinged front 18, it will be observed, are hinged at their remote edges, so that when both are thrown into the position shown in Figure 1 there is provided a Wide entrance, giving unusually easy access to the interior of the cabinet. In this enclosure it is intended that the sewing shall be stored, as may be best seen in Fig. 3, and access thereto may be had either by raising the hinged top 15, by dropping the hinged front 18, Or by opening both of these hinged members.

It being desirable to support a tray by a means resembling a drawer, with which all people are familiar, and which are in common use, for these and other reasons I support the tray 4 upon what is in effect a pair of swinging arms 5. These arms 5 are pivoted at 51, in their lower portion, and swing above this pivot, for the most part. Preferably they are generally segmental in shape,

and the pivot 54, from which the tray depends, is substantially midway between the ends of the arc. Stops 52 and 53 are provided at the opposite ends of the arc, these being arranged to engage with a stop such as the rib 2, to hold the arms 5 and the tray 4 in either of two positions, in the forward position shown in full lines in Figure 1, where the tray hangs by gravity in this position in the entrance to the cabinet, and easy of access and fully visible, or in a rear po- ,sition, as shown in full lines in Figure 3,

where it is stored well out of the way. The

tray may be divided by internal partitions 40 into a number of compartments to conform to the articles to be stored.

The stop 52 may be in the form of a strip connecting the arms 5 at either end of the cabinet, and likewise a strip 55 may be provided at the front end of the arms 5, this being so ositioned as to lie immediately below the front edge of the top portion 13, where it has the appearance of a front of a drawer. This appearance may be heightened by the addition of a knob 56, by means of which the movement of the arms and tray may be controlled. It is understood, of course that the tray is maintained in either of its final ositions by gravity, and that it will depend rom its pivot support at 54 throughout its movement, and in fact, will keep an upright position should the cabinet be tilted in carrying, so that within all reasonable limits of its movements it will be maintained automatically and by gravity in an upright position, and the contents will not be spilled out.

Such an article as the sewing cabinet described, with its top walls sloping, has no' place wherein a drawer may be fitted, except as such a drawer would seriously interfere with the storage capacity of the cabinet itself, or interfere with free access to the en-, closure within. However, by using such a tray and support as described, there can be provided a storage means apparently resembling a drawer, located in the upper rear portion of the cabinet, which is not well;-

adapted to the storage of the goods being sewed. It may be swung into and from accessible position without disturbing any of the work in the bottom of the cabinet, and

without disturbing any which may be lying upon the shelf 18.

With the tray in its rear position, as shown in Figure 3, ready access may be had to the enclosure within the cabinet, through the open top, or by letting down the front side"1 18, or both. With the tray thrown forward into the full line position of Figure 1 the tray and its contents are easily accessible, and it may be instantly thrown back should it be desired to reach into the interior, or to seethereinto. The front 18 forms a convenient shelf for thesupport of materials which have been temporarily laid aside, and even with the tray in its forward position access may be had to the interior of the cabinet, becauseF-f us of the hinged front 18, especially since the tray may swing to some extent upon its pivot at 54.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with the walls of a cabinet defining an enclosure, a tray, a segmental arm pivoted within each end of the cabinet to swing above its pivot axis, said tray being pivotally sup orted between the two segmental arms to epend therefrom, stops' n: in)

into the upper rear portion of the enclosure, and a strip connecting the two arms, at their front, and positioned thereon to lie immediately beneath and in contact with the top of the cabinet, when the tray is in its rear position.

2. In combination with the walls of a cabinet forming an enclosure, and including top walls sloping, from the middle, one of the top walls being hinged to aiford access through thefront to the interior, a tray, an arm pivoted within each end of the enclosure to swing above its pivot axis, said tray being pivotally dependent from said arms to swing therewith, by gravity, into the forward portion of the enclosure, or into the upper rear portion, and a strip connecting said arms, at the front thereof, and lying immediately beneath the top wall, rearwardly of the hinged top wall, when the tray lies in its rear position.

3. In combination with the walls of a cabinet forming an enclosure, and including adjoining top and front walls hinged at their remote edges to form an entrance aii'ording access to the interior, a tray, an arm pivoted within each end of the cabinet to swing over its pivot axis towards and away from the entrance, said tray being pivotally dependent from said arms to swing by gravity into forward position, in the entrance, to a rear position, in the upper rear part of the enclosure, to afford access to the storage space there beneath, said pivoted arms and pivoted tray being so positioned that the tray remains within the cabinet in all positions and in balanced upright position.

4. In a sewing cabinet comprising end walls, a bottom, a rear wall, and a top wall portion defining an enclosure, a front top wall section hinged to said top wall portion, and a front wall section hinged to drop into horizontal position to form a shelf, a tray, arms pivoted within the ends of the cabinet to swing through the upper portion thereof from front to rear, a strip connecting said arms in front, stop means positioning said arms and strip in a rearmost position, with the strip immediately below the fixed top portion, and a tray pivotally dependent from the arms, and movable therewith into forward position, or into rear position immediately below the fixed top wall, to aflord access to the storage space therebeneath.

Signed at Snohomish, Washington, this 5th day of March, 1929.

LEE J. TAYLOR. 

